Sing 2 (2021):

In “Sing” (2016) we saw the characters in a world populated by and controlled by animals, set and the conflict developed, and now it’s on to bigger and better things. The original had koala Buster Moon (voice of Matthew McConaughy) trying to save the theatre that he acquired by putting a group of interested performers together to save the day. Now, five years later, this animated feature strives to go to the next level. Buster’s theatre is a big success, but he wants more, especially after a talent scout named Suki tells him his productions are good, but not good enough to make it in the bigtime of Redshore City. Totally up for the challenge, Buster gets the old gang back together that helped his success the first time, including Rosita the pig (voice of Reese Witherspoon), porcupines Ash and Lance (voices of Scarlett Johansson and Beck Bennett), and Meena the elephant (voice of Tori Kelly). At the audition in Redshore City, demanding entertainment mogul Jimmy Crystal (voice of Bobby Cannavale) is not impressed. He wants much, much more, and only when agreeing to build the show around reclusive international rock star Clay Calloway (voice of Bono) will Mr. Crystal agree to giving Buster and his crew a shot. One problem – how does he find Clay Calloway and convince him to appear? Along the way other problems occur, the least of which that Buster is given just three weeks to put it all together. Jealousies among Buster’s performers cause personnel problems, and it appears along the way that even Mr. Crystal is not on the up and up. The music is great and it’s easy to forget that we are watching a cartoon. Kids will love the tunes and the animals, and adults will find the dialogue snappy enough to hold their interest. Rated PG.

Pursuit (2022):

This action-thriller has enough twists and a few good turns to keep us focused on the challenges faced by John Calloway (John Cusak) who is a criminal of the worst sort. He is very, very smart, he is a hacker who commits crimes without remorse, and he is soon in the sights of a police detective named Mike Breslin (Jake Manley) tasked with taking him down and stopping the cyber crime spree that is crippling many organizations. Calloway is taken into custody but soon escapes, and we, as the audience are in on something that the detective does not yet know. Calloway commits his crimes at the behest of a brutal cartel boss that holds his wife Rachel hostage. If Calloway fails to do the bidding of the crime boss, Rachel will be tortured and killed. It’s interesting to see William Katt in the cast, the one-time star of television’s “Greatest American Hero,” and son of actress Barbara Hale who played Della Street on the Perry Mason television series. Rated 14A.

The Requin (2022):

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water! Alicia Silverstone and Canadian actor James Tupper are a young couple, Jaelyn and Kyle, who have had some trauma in their married life. After having a miscarriage, Jaelyn has gone into a serious depression and just doesn’t feel much like carrying on. Kyle does everything he can to help her, but the mental state that she is in can’t be shaken. He decides that a fresh start might help and suggests a second-honeymoon trip to an exotic oceanfront location in Vietnam. Change of scenery, change of country, change of what there is to worry about may make a difference for Jaelyn, but despite the tropical paradise, she still can’t seem to come out of her depressed state. In true horror-thriller fashion, a violent storm hits the resort, and the couple’s over-ocean-bungalow is thrown into the wild surf and is swept out to sea. Kyle’s leg is badly injured and the blood from the injury is attracting Great White Sharks that populate the area. It’s time for Jaelyn to snap out of it and help the situation. And before you think it can’t get worse, it does … it gets a lot worse. A pretty good thriller, although some of the action is very contrived. Rated 14A.

Love Like the Falling Petals (2022):

This Netflix original from South Korea is a love story wrapped up in a drama, as Harutoo, a young man with a gift for photography, is encouraged in his pursuit by Misaki, a young woman with a gift for handicrafts that makes Harutoo envious, wishing that he had her level of talent. Their love is almost immediate, and it grows exponentially until something changes this idyllic life - Misaki is suddenly aging at 10 times the normal rate, meaning that in just one year she appears 10 years older. The challenges faced by the couple are enormous as the mystery deepens. Rated 14A.

Robin Robin (2021):

This stop-motion animated film from the UK tells the story of a little baby robin who rolls out of her nest onto the ground, and who is saved, and then raised by a family of mice. As Robin gets older, she begins to realize that she is not a mouse, and that maybe she doesn't really belong with this family. A heart-warming story with an excellent message that both children and parents will enjoy. Gillian Anderson ("The X-Files") provides one of the major voices in this British made film. Rated G.